Color Correcting HD Converted to SD

How do you guys color correct HD footage that is destined for SD delivery? The footage is edited in an HD timeline.

Do you color correct the HD timeline on an HD monitor, then convert to SD for delivery? Or do you nest the footage in an SD timeline and CC on an SD monitor? Does FCP (or AJA Kona) take care of the color space conversion from Rec. 709 HD to Rec. 601 SD?


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[David Roth Weiss] "Maybe you'll want to make some minor overall corrections to the SD down convert, such boosting chroma, but otherwise there's not reason to worry."

Actually, I find it the other way around. I have to pull back on the saturation and chroma for SD, especially reds. HD is much more forgiving with saturated colors.

Depending on the format of SD you're delivering to, you may have to lift the blacks to make the show legal in SD.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.

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Thanks guys. The reason I asked was that I was seeing what Walter mentioned. The colors looked good in HD, but when I output to SD it looked a little too saturated. I thought maybe this was due to the difference in color spaces between HD and SD.

So I guess what you're recommending is to CC in the original format, then make any adjustments in the delivery format. I usually try to avoid doing things twice, but if that's what it takes, then I'll do it. The second time is more an overall adjustment, so it shouldn't take long.

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Chris,

I think this is entirely based on the set of assumptions you're working with for archiving projects originated from HD sources. If you want to keep an HD master as your final archived master, you should color correct as HD. If you're abandoning HD altogether for SD, then color correct an SD version.

My workflow is based on the assumumption that I am always going to archive a final HD master, so that I can maximize my options for the future. So, I do everything I can in HD, and make conversions to SD only when all work is completed. If minor CC is needed that's no problem.

David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles

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